Erin Roars Back - to Florida and Alabama

Erin Roars Back - to Florida and Alabama

Article excerpt

Hurricane Erin blasted through the Panhandle - its second swipe
at Florida - and southern Alabama on Thursday before losing
strength as it moved inland. It hit the Pensacola area with 94 mph
winds and gusts up to 103 mph.

On Wednesday, Erin cut a swath across central Florida, lost
strength over land and then regained hurricane force from the warm
waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

The storm was blamed for three deaths, and eight people were
reported missing at sea.

The barrier islands stretching from Pensacola Beach to Navarre
Beach absorbed the brunt of the storm as it came ashore for the
second time Thursday.

The storm blew trees onto homes, cars and businesses, peeled
roofs from buildings, ripped shingles and siding off homes, and
blew out windows. Authorities said 186 structures were damaged.

Several of the hardest-hit homeowners said they had been giving
shelter to friends from beach communities who had fled inland to
ride out the storm, only to find they were no safer there. …